Many traits can make a player underestimated, although I tend to lean towards those that don’t always give people commercial recognition.
Which tight ends block well? Which cornerbacks may not record a lot of interceptions but have exceptional opponent completion percentages? Which centers have to call their protections, make back-busting blocks and have to anchor a non-original offense that runs the ball in the middle 150 times per season?
Our list of the most underrated AFC players debuted on Friday and here is the second part of our installment. We hope you enjoy it, especially if you too have not been recognized.
Rob Tringali / Sports Illustrated
NFC East
Eagles
Dallas Goedert, TE
The Eagles have .25 yards per run better when Goedert is blocking on the field and .13 yards better per pass play. The NFL’s GSIS statistics database lists all of these minutiae, and while it doesn’t seem significant, that’s when the image is enlarged. The eagles won almost 100 plus rushing yards in one season with Goedert. Add that he caught 58 balls in 2019 and is a huge threat in the red zone. Assuming Goedert continues to develop as a wide receiver, the Eagles may have something incredibly dangerous on their hands.
Cowboys
Chidobe Awuzie, CB
For two consecutive years, Awuzie has allowed a completion percentage below 60 and, in 2019, added an opponent QB rating of 89. He copes incredibly well, has an A-plus closing speed, and plays 95% of Defensive snapshots of the team in a critical position. DB position. Although Byron Jones’ loss of stings, Awuzie made it a bit more palatable.
Giants
David Mayo, LB
The second best Pro Football Focus defender among linebackers in 2019, Mayo dramatically improved his coverage statistics and missed tackles numbers to earn a more regular defense role last year (and was awarded an in-kind contract extension) . While the Giants will continue to fight to defend defenses and tight ends, Mayo is an example of a true workhorse who is developing his game to adapt to a changing NFL.
Washington
Chase Roullier, C
Committing just one penalty in 14 starts in 2019, Roullier recorded another solid campaign in 2019, especially as a pass blocker. Washington ran down the middle behind Roullier 80 times for an average gain of 4.73 yards. The attempts were good enough for fifth place in the NFL, describing the offense’s level of confidence in him (and Adrian Peterson’s propensity to run through the guts).
Eric Hartline / USA TODAY Sports
NFC North
Packers
Jamaal Williams, RB
This is kind of crazy considering some are screening it in Green Bay after the Packers selected AJ Dillon in the second round. But the Williams pass blocks very well and can be one of the best runners in the league. On 45 goals last year, he caught almost 90% of his passes, which is huge when you consider the critical role he plays. Williams finished seventh on the Football Outsiders success rate ranking among runners in 2019 as well, and yet all we can talk about is their replacements.
Vikings
Kyle Rudolph, TE
Yes, Rudolph has done Pro Bowls before, but I think we completely misunderstand how valuable someone in his position is. Vikings thrive in a two-ended closed configuration, meaning Rudolph assumes greater responsibility for the pace of the passing game and career blocking for developing the game action. There was no receiver in football that ended 2019 with a better catch percentage than Rudolph, who swept over 80% of his goals.
Bears
Sherrick McManis, ST / DB
Despite missing the half of the season last year, the perpetually ignored McManis still tied for the Bears’ lead in special team tackles. It played a little box security, a little free security, a little slot corner and a little wide corner, posting a PFF coverage rating of 93.3, albeit in a very limited sample size. For a further perspective, in 2018 McManis recorded an opponent completion percentage below 55%. He blinked, pressed the passer-by, and didn’t lose many tackles.
Lions
Frank Ragnow, C
I thought Brandon Thorn in Setting the Career has done a great job illustrating Ragnow’s unique athleticism and how he allows the Lions to plan some of their careers. Ragnow is underrated because he can star in multiple positions. The Lions ran through center to center more than just three other teams in the NFL last year.
NFC South
Saints
Marcus Williams, S
Once remembered for a starring role in the Minneapolis Miracle, Williams fortunately put a bunch of tired tropes on the bed with an incredibly strong performance in 2019. Williams led the team in interceptions, finished sixth in tackles and had more passes defended. than any member of the Saints outside of Marshon Lattimore. His ability to manipulate some of the league’s best passers from a position of deep safety was impressive.
Falcons
Deion Jones, LB
Like some other teams on this list, the Falcons were tough because the players you expected to be good at were good. Players you could easily identify as underperforming had underperforming. Jones comes here as a cop, as I feel like (still) there aren’t enough people talking about how good he is. More than 100 tackles in three of his four years, a 58.5% completion rate allowed on more than 60 targets in 2019 and 36 contributions to the Dan Quinn bombing package. There aren’t many linebackers built for 2020 and beyond like Jones.
Buccaneers
Ryan Jensen, C
Former Colorado State-Pueblo sixth-round pick Jensen was rated by PFF as his third best center in 2019. For the third year in a row, he recorded 100% of the team’s snapshots, and committed just three penalties a year. does. With Tom Brady’s arrival in town, there is no better time for Jensen to peak.
Panthers
Tre Boston, S
In the league since 2014 with no bunk beds in the Pro Bowl, Boston has been an unrecognized centerpiece in many defenses over the years. In 2019, it allowed only an opposite QB rating of 74.9 and a completion rate of 61.1%. Boston has more than 163 passing yards from the NYoA, which means that, over the course of one season, it reduces more than 100 yards of attack.
Michael Chow / The Republic / USA Today Sports
NFC West
49ers
K’Wuan Williams, DB
While we all know that Richard Sherman played out of his mind last year, K’Wuan Williams made the 49ers nearly a half-meter better per pass play in 2019, totaling more than 500 yards throughout the season. The ex-recruited free agent posted a completion percentage below 70 and a passer rating of more than 30 points better than he had in 2018. The strength of the high schools often decreases and flows based on talent in the slot. , and luckily the 49ers have a good
Seahawks
Shaquill Griffin, DB
Griffin is the only 2019 Pro Bowler on this list and this is my justification for doing so: Due to the specter of the Legion of Boom, it will be difficult, I think, for the more general fan to accept that the Seahawks have found another player who can be just as good. like its predecessors. I’ve predicted, with the addition of Quinton Dunbar, a bit of a renaissance when it comes to how we view the Seahawks’ high school, and one big reason is Griffin’s stoic play. He posted an opposition completion percentage of 57.1 playing in one of the best offensive divisions in football’s recent memory.
Rams
Troy Hill, DB
With 45% –forty five percent!—Opponent completion percentage on 57 goals this year, Hill also cut his opponent quarterback rate nearly in half. Imagine playing in the NFC West frequently as a cornerback and allowing just two touchdowns in a season. Or lose just two of his 45 tackling attempts in a division that has an equally powerful roster of runners.
Cardinals
Maxx Williams, TE
Pro Football Focus’s No. 1 tight end in 2019, Maxxxxxxxxx Williams had an above-average net yard of 241.35 yards in 2019. That’s amazing. The Cardinals were nearly a yard better per run with Williams on the field, which, in case you were wondering, was more significant than each of the Cardinals’ regular starters on the offensive line.
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